Why Black Friday is Fun.
The past couple of years, I have gone to Black Friday events at Wal-Mart. Not to do major shopping, but just to pick up a couple of things that were on sale and to, you know, take in the sights.
Granted, it takes some getting used to if you're new to it (for instance, only things in stacks marked 'promo' are on sale...learned that the hard way), but if you're not there to actually accomplish something major, it can be a fun time of discount shopping!
Last year, I needed to run to Wal-Mart for some Cool-Whip on Black Friday morning...and was awestruck by the DVD deals that were there...that I didn't see advertised anywhere. So, yeah, shiny!
So, this year, I actually did some research and went in for their big 10PM thingy. The ENTIRE parking lot for the WHOLE SHOPPING CENTER was packed. So, I parked in front of Fashion Avenue and walked it...concerned a bit by my own warnings about the dangers of such parking lots with crazy drivers in holiday time...especially considering it was night and I was wearing all black.
But, upon entering the store at 10:02, it was fascinating. The endless sea of people. Some, foolishly, trying to navigate with a cart. Others, wisely, just carrying stacks of things. It was fun to see what people were so eager to purchase.
Blue Nintendo Wii consoles were popular. As were trampolines. One guy had three trampolines on a flatbed cart, bet there's a story there.
I had gone for three things, and found two. The video games were picked clean by my tardy 10:02 arrival. So then I started perusing other deals...so...many...deals. I had to call my wife to talk me down. We don't NEED Matrix on BD for $5 (rather get the box set)...or Neverending Story on BD for $5 (clearly, from the packaging, not a remastered transfer), nor do we need to start picking up seasons of Fringe for $10 as gifts for people (seriously, how many people do we know that even watch Fringe?) I can see how easy it is to get lost in the chaos and savings and just start spending. Perhaps that's the point of Black Friday.
I saw some people from church, trying to find a fire truck toy. I saw a group of paramedics with a woman they had breathing from an oxygen mask (clearly, the savings were too much for her, as well). I considered stopping in the holiday aisle and getting some Reese's Trees (second only to Reese's Eggs-the holy grail of confections!- in sheer awesomeness) but non-sale aisles were serving as a refuge for people just trying to get out of the press. So, I didn't bother.
Didn't have to wait long in line, actually. Shorter wait time than usual at Wal-Mart (see what happens when you open up more than five of your thirty or so registers?!?!)
So, yeah. I enjoyed it. It's an experience. Not like the Kingsport Christmas/Thanksgiving parade with it's Shriner Outhouse-in-a-truck and shirtless scimitar dude, but an exerience nonetheless.
Do I see these shoppers as greedy, gift-grabbing, cretins? Well, some, yes. I STILL don't recommend going to a department store between Thanksgiving and January 10th...you could get killed in the lot! But mostly, I see people trying to find something nice for friends and family.
Do I get sickened by all the spending I see around the holidays? No. Not at all. And do you know why?
Something people fail to realize about all the spending that happens during Christmas is that these are things BOUGHT FOR OTHERS. I see someone with a cart full of toys and I realize that these people are NOT buying things for themselves...anyone who has dealt with the annoying beeps and whistles of modern toys can tell you that NO ADULT buys these things for themselves. They are spending money on something to GIVE to someone else.
I remember my first job when I actually had money come Christmas time...and I went out and bought presents for everyone I could think of! Not because I like spending money, heck no! I'm a cheapskate! Because it IS fun to give gifts at Christmas time. So I don't have the overly cynical view of the holidays as a time of greed. I give people the benefit of the doubt this time around (rare for me, as I don't like people) and think that, maybe, they're here trying to get a bargain on that GPS for their brother that they would otherwise be unable to afford. Or that train-set that their daughter wanted so badly.
So, yeah. Guess what I'm saying in a roundabout way is Merry Christmas, all you nuts out there hustling to find the My Little Pony Tree Village. And to put a British spin on it, I'll even say Happy Christmas, because, dangit, some people look neither happy nor merry during the holiday season.
If I don't post anything betwixt now and Christmas, Merry Christmas, my readership!
Granted, it takes some getting used to if you're new to it (for instance, only things in stacks marked 'promo' are on sale...learned that the hard way), but if you're not there to actually accomplish something major, it can be a fun time of discount shopping!
Last year, I needed to run to Wal-Mart for some Cool-Whip on Black Friday morning...and was awestruck by the DVD deals that were there...that I didn't see advertised anywhere. So, yeah, shiny!
So, this year, I actually did some research and went in for their big 10PM thingy. The ENTIRE parking lot for the WHOLE SHOPPING CENTER was packed. So, I parked in front of Fashion Avenue and walked it...concerned a bit by my own warnings about the dangers of such parking lots with crazy drivers in holiday time...especially considering it was night and I was wearing all black.
But, upon entering the store at 10:02, it was fascinating. The endless sea of people. Some, foolishly, trying to navigate with a cart. Others, wisely, just carrying stacks of things. It was fun to see what people were so eager to purchase.
Blue Nintendo Wii consoles were popular. As were trampolines. One guy had three trampolines on a flatbed cart, bet there's a story there.
I had gone for three things, and found two. The video games were picked clean by my tardy 10:02 arrival. So then I started perusing other deals...so...many...deals. I had to call my wife to talk me down. We don't NEED Matrix on BD for $5 (rather get the box set)...or Neverending Story on BD for $5 (clearly, from the packaging, not a remastered transfer), nor do we need to start picking up seasons of Fringe for $10 as gifts for people (seriously, how many people do we know that even watch Fringe?) I can see how easy it is to get lost in the chaos and savings and just start spending. Perhaps that's the point of Black Friday.
I saw some people from church, trying to find a fire truck toy. I saw a group of paramedics with a woman they had breathing from an oxygen mask (clearly, the savings were too much for her, as well). I considered stopping in the holiday aisle and getting some Reese's Trees (second only to Reese's Eggs-the holy grail of confections!- in sheer awesomeness) but non-sale aisles were serving as a refuge for people just trying to get out of the press. So, I didn't bother.
Didn't have to wait long in line, actually. Shorter wait time than usual at Wal-Mart (see what happens when you open up more than five of your thirty or so registers?!?!)
So, yeah. I enjoyed it. It's an experience. Not like the Kingsport Christmas/Thanksgiving parade with it's Shriner Outhouse-in-a-truck and shirtless scimitar dude, but an exerience nonetheless.
Do I see these shoppers as greedy, gift-grabbing, cretins? Well, some, yes. I STILL don't recommend going to a department store between Thanksgiving and January 10th...you could get killed in the lot! But mostly, I see people trying to find something nice for friends and family.
Do I get sickened by all the spending I see around the holidays? No. Not at all. And do you know why?
Something people fail to realize about all the spending that happens during Christmas is that these are things BOUGHT FOR OTHERS. I see someone with a cart full of toys and I realize that these people are NOT buying things for themselves...anyone who has dealt with the annoying beeps and whistles of modern toys can tell you that NO ADULT buys these things for themselves. They are spending money on something to GIVE to someone else.
I remember my first job when I actually had money come Christmas time...and I went out and bought presents for everyone I could think of! Not because I like spending money, heck no! I'm a cheapskate! Because it IS fun to give gifts at Christmas time. So I don't have the overly cynical view of the holidays as a time of greed. I give people the benefit of the doubt this time around (rare for me, as I don't like people) and think that, maybe, they're here trying to get a bargain on that GPS for their brother that they would otherwise be unable to afford. Or that train-set that their daughter wanted so badly.
So, yeah. Guess what I'm saying in a roundabout way is Merry Christmas, all you nuts out there hustling to find the My Little Pony Tree Village. And to put a British spin on it, I'll even say Happy Christmas, because, dangit, some people look neither happy nor merry during the holiday season.
If I don't post anything betwixt now and Christmas, Merry Christmas, my readership!